How a French Entrepreneur Built Bonjour Arabia & Is Redefining Saudi Tourism (Vision 2030) | Cecilia

Cecilia, the French founder of Bonjour Arabia, shares how she built a cultural tourism business in Saudi Arabia—from early exploration trips to launching in Riyadh and expanding into AlUla. We talk the realities of starting a company, building community outside compounds, creating heritage-based experiences (food, crafts, desert nights), and how tourism is growing under Vision 2030—plus a viral moment that led to an unexpected royal visit.

Chapters

00:00 — Intro: Cecilia from Bonjour Arabia 01:15 — Welcome + what Bonjour Arabia does (Vision 2030 tourism growth) 02:00 — How you first discovered her content after moving to Riyadh 02:40 — Deep dive: where she’s from + travel background 03:30 — Moving to the UAE during COVID (and what that was like) 05:15 — Energy sector job + working with Emirati women (real immersion) 07:30 — Starting cultural experiences / first company in the UAE 08:00 — Saudi road trip in 2022 (before the big expat wave) 09:45 — Moving to Riyadh in 2023 + early shocks & challenges 11:45 — No compound: finding a flat + building life from zero 14:50 — Building community: ladies gatherings + meeting Saudis 18:50 — French community + embassy/cultural work in Riyadh 19:05 — When she decided: “I’m going to build my own thing here” 20:00 — Discovering Diriyah-area/Nia: the coffee shop moment 20:45 — Viral video → message from Mansour (future business partner) 21:50 — Becoming business partners + entrepreneur license process 23:30 — Opening the first “house” + restoring heritage space 24:55 — Why that neighborhood matters + the hidden-gem vibe 26:15 — What Bonjour Arabia offers now: trips + heritage corporate events 27:00 — Workshops, artists, and how Instagram built the network 28:00 — The chef collaborations + viral cooking experiences 31:05 — Where they run trips: south (Abha), eastern region, beyond 33:05 — Her top Saudi must-visits (Jeddah, AlUla, + more) 36:10 — Kids-friendly travel: why AlUla works for families too 36:20 — Building a team + learning to delegate 40:05 — “Saudi dream”: energy, opportunity, creativity 42:10 — Royal visit story: how it happened (X/Twitter went viral) 47:15 — Saudi business culture: relationships, patience, last-minute plans 48:45 — Ramadan rhythms: working nights + adapting your business 52:50 — Top cultural experiences: cooking, desert, coffee culture 56:00 — Expanding to AlUla: why it’s different + what’s next 59:20 — Learning Arabic: classes, tools, and tips 01:02:25 — Advice to newcomers: get out, explore, it’s easier than you think 01:04:10 — Eid myth-busting: what’s actually open + where to go 01:07:05 — Final thoughts + goodbye